The invention relates to a method for forming headliners having energy absorbing members.
A prior method of making a headliner assembly having energy absorbing members, such as head impact pads, attached thereto includes forming the pads separately from the headliner. The pad forming process includes molding a block of foam, cutting the block into rectangular panels, die-cutting the panels, and compression molding the panels to form the pads. The pads are then attached to a preformed headliner using assembly dies and an adhesive. Because of the multiple steps involved with forming the pads and attaching the pads to the headliner, this method is time consuming and costly. Furthermore, because the pads are die-cut from rectangular panels, this method also results in significant waste.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,458 discloses another method of making a headliner having deformable foam inserts disposed on side edges of the headliner. The method includes positioning a cover layer, a foam panel, and preformed rectangular foam inserts in a mold, and draping a flexible backing layer over the foam panel and foam inserts. Suitable adhesives are also positioned between the cover layer and the foam panel, and between the foam panel and the foam inserts. The mold is then closed to compression mold the foam panel and foam inserts, as well as to stiffen the backing layer. Similar to the above method, however, this method involves multiple steps for forming the inserts and attaching the inserts to the remainder of the headliner.
The invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a method for forming a headliner assembly that includes simultaneously forming an energy absorbing member and joining the energy absorbing member to a main body of the headliner assembly. Consequently, the method of the invention significantly reduces time and manufacturing costs compared with prior methods.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for forming a headliner assembly having an energy absorbing member joined to a main body, wherein the energy absorbing member is molded directly onto the main body.
Under the invention, a method for forming a headliner assembly includes forming a main body having a periphery, and a shape corresponding to a desired shape of the headliner assembly; positioning the main body in a mold having a recess; closing the mold; and injecting foam into the recess to simultaneously form an energy absorbing member and join the energy absorbing member to the main body proximate the periphery of the main body.
Furthermore, by using a mold having multiple recesses, a headliner assembly may be formed with multiple energy absorbing members. According to a feature of the invention, foam may be injected into one recess with a first injection density, and foam may be injected into another recess with a second injection density different than the first injection density so as to form two energy absorbing members having different densities.